When you walk into Lagomarcino’s in Moline, Illinois, you feel like you’ve taken a step back in time. Many of the furnishings in the ice cream parlor and candy store are originals from when the store opened in the early 20th century. The furnishings are the only things that are original. The third generation of the founding family keeps recipes as original as possible in this old-fashioned ice cream parlor. Read more
I had heard that the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum was “really awesome,” but I thought, “How awesome can a museum be?” I knew there were some really neat Lincoln artifacts and exhibits, and for years museums have been making exhibits more interactive with use of “please touch” buttons to activate audio, and more recently, touch screen computers. So although I knew the Lincoln museum would be a pleasant experience, my level of anticipation wasn’t set all that high. Was I ever wrong! The first time I visited the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum I was astonished at the awesome use of special effects. It turns out that one of the museum’s designers was a former Disney animatronics engineer. Read more
I stumbled across a microbrewery a year or so ago, near the shore of Lake Michigan in Michigan City, Indiana, that I liked so well it’s sure to become a regular stop whenever I pass through the area. That it’s popular among locals, packed both times I’ve been there on the weekend, is no wonder, as the brew is good and the food unique and delicious. Read more
At 8’11.1″, Robert Wadlow was the tallest man who ever lived, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. At birth he weighed a normal eight pounds, but due to a pituitary gland disorder, he grew quickly. By the time he was eight years old, he was over six feet tall. Read more
2013 was a year of learning for me, a year full of firsts. Fairly new to travel writing, having only begun to write regularly for Examiner.com in the fall of 2012, and having started my own Midwest Wanderer blog in May 2013, I went through the trials and tribulations that new technologies bring, and I’m still learning. Heavens knows I’ve made more than my share of social media blunders and I’m certain there will be more. But most of my firsts have been wonderful experiences in the exciting world of travel and travel writing. Here are some of them:
Stepped out onto the Willis Tower Ledge, with just a piece of glass between my feet and the ground 1,353 feet below, facing my fear of heights
Zip lined, underground no less, at the Louisville Mega Cavern, another challenge to my phobia
Went horseback riding at the Natural Valley Ranch, actually my second time on horseback but the first time in a downpour
Stayed in a bed and breakfast, the Summers Riverview Mansion
Experienced the paranormal (just a whiff of perfume, but it was unmistakable) on the Alton Hauntings Walking Tour
Attended a polo match at the Oak Brook Polo Club
Parasailed on the Mississippi and Kayaked on the Rock River. You’ll find out more about both this spring.
Besides all the firsts, I’ve discovered museums, theaters, shops, markets, parks, restaurants, wineries and more in small towns throughout the Midwest, many towns that I didn’t even know existed. But best of all are the people I’ve met, from tourism bureau reps and fellow travel writers to shop owners, museum curators, other travelers, so many more I’ve crossed paths with, and especially you, my readers.
I’m looking forward to more new experiences in 2014 and to sharing them with you, to help you in your search of great places to wander.
Happy New Year and safe travels.
Connie Reed
Midwest Wanderer
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I’ve been to Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois, in every season, each season with a beauty of its own. Spring brings the promise of warm summer days, life bursting forth again after dormancy, the bright green of new leaves on trees, tiny wildflowers poking through the ground, the scent of spring in the air. In the summer, a canopy of shade cools, the sight and sound of rushing waterfalls mesmerize, and coneflower and black-eyed Susan add bursts of color to the green foliage. In the fall, the most popular time to visit, leaves turn to shades of crimson and amber, leaves that have already fallen crunch under your feet with every step you take. My favorite time of year to visit, though, is winter.
A feeling of stillness envelopes the winter woods as you hike some of the 13 miles of snow blanketed trails, the shining sun warming the brisk air enough to keep you comfortable.
Climb to the tops of sandstone bluffs to take in breathtaking views of canyons with waterfalls of solid ice, as still as if frozen in time, and the wide Illinois River that flows adjacent to the park, eagles soaring overhead, diving into the water to catch their next meal, roosting in nearby trees.
Then hike down to the bottoms of the canyons—there are 18 of them within a four mile area—and walk on the frozen streams to see the waterfalls up close.
When you’re ready to warm up, head to the rustic Starved Rock Lodge, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, where you can relax in front of the two-sided fireplace in the Great Hall.
Enjoy a meal in the dining room, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Or choose to dine in the casual Back Door Lounge.
I had the Chief Pontiac sandwich, shaved prime rib and smoked cheddar on Focaccia bread with barbecue cilantro sauce, served with homemade chips. it tasted as good as the description sounded.
If you need something a little warmer to wear when you go back outside, pick up a colorful scarf, hat or sweater in the gift shop.
Be sure to stop in the visitor center while you’re in the park, too, where you can get information on park activities and learn the history of the park, about the Native Americans who inhabited the area and explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet.
You can purchase a souvenir or snack at the Trailheads Concessions in the visitor center, too, like fresh fudge made right there. The orange-chocolate flavor was delicious.
No matter in which season you choose to visit Starved Rock State Park, you’ll find natural beauty in surroundings unlike any other park in Illinois.
Starved Rock State Park, less than 100 miles from Chicago, is a popular day trip for Illinoisans, but you may want to make a weekend of it. Stay in one of Starved Rock Lodge’s 69 guest rooms or in a cabin, some of which have fireplaces. (Saturday night stays require a two night booking.) Check the Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center web site for details.
Thank you for reading Midwest Wanderer. If you enjoyed this post, click on the Subscribe2 button to the left to be notified whenever another post is published. (Be sure to click the link when you get the e-mail asking you to confirm.) Visit the Midwest Wanderer Facebook Page, and check out my Examiner.com page, too, where I’ve had over 80 articles published.
